Guest Blogger: Author Teryl Cartwright

If you've faced the loss of a loved one to the vile thing they call cancer, you know how hideous it is. Yet when someone once asked me about how I could have faith through and after that awful despair, I had to reluctantly praise God for it. You see, I got a longer time to say goodbye than those who suddenly and unexpectedly lose someone and never have that chance, such as in a car accident. I got to see and share the courage and grace of my wonderful and inspiring husband, who reached out to others while miserable and was back on the job preaching less than three months after diagnosis and emergency surgery, even though he could hardly stand. From then on he gave his sermons sitting down, but he was even able to tell jokes about it. I grew up a lot in that time and am so thankful for the people who supported and helped us through it. Writing might have been something for me, but I was only able to do it because of them.

I started to write again during that time to have control over my fictional characters and their lives, but discovered God had his say even in my quirky little romance novel. How else can you explain how perfectly the Bible verses fit the story as I changed them to the historical accurate King James English when I hadn't ever read that version? I was the one who had a few "wow" moments of joy when re-reading what I wrote because I actually hadn't remembered writing some of it. (Yes, writers can actually read their own books to see what happens next.) My point to rambling--we can't control much in our lives, but our reactions and actions in it. I think that we are promised a happy ending in the next life and yet how important it is not to forget to grab onto our happiness now and celebrate it in the little things. Humor is a part of that and I look for it everywhere. Whether suffering through Seinfeld for the sake of my son or trying to understand Gilmore Girls for my daughter, I have to laugh at it all, even if I still prefer Far Side and Carol Burnett.

A multitude of things influence my writing, so like every author, when you read my words, I hope you might understand some of the emotions and unnamed thoughts underneath--where words cannot travel, but where we all can still connect.



Teryl
http://www.terylcartwright.com

(Note: Guest blog posts reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of RT Book Reviews.)